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Time of India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Rights under constant attack in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan
AI image Amid many other global crises, the human rights situation in Afghanistan has been overshadowed in the international media. Millions of people continue to suffer from systemic rights violations under the Taliban-run government, a UN report has found. Tasked with assisting the people of Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) monitors the human rights situation in the country, issuing regular reports. In its latest update on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, UNAMA not only documented cases of gender-based violence and public floggings but also the growing persecution of the Ismaili community. Ismailism is a branch of Shia Islam, while Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Afghanistan. Most members of the Ismaili community live in the country's northern provinces, such as Badakhshan or Baghlan. In the former, there have been at least 50 cases of members of the Ismaili community being forced to convert to the Sunni faith. Those who refused to do so were subjected to physical assaults, coercion and death threats. "They are only accepted as Muslims if they profess the Sunni faith by force," Yaqub Yasna, a professor and member of the Afghan Ismaili community, told DW. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo Yasna himself was accused of blasphemy after the Taliban takeover of 2021 because he advocated enlightenment and tolerance in society. He was forced to step down from his position at his university and went into exile for fear of reprisals. Breeding ground for violence Yasna said that even before the Taliban's return to power, tolerance toward the Ismaili minority in Afghanistan was limited but that the political system had at least protected their civil rights. He said that under the Taliban, tolerance had continued to decline steadily. "When their rights are violated today, they don't know who they can turn to. Their children are forced to profess the Sunni faith," he explained. "Under Taliban rule, only one faith is considered legitimate. Anything that deviates from their interpretation of Islam is rejected and thus creates a breeding ground for violence against religious minorities. " Afghan human rights activist Abdullah Ahmadi confirmed there was increasing pressure on one of the last remaining religious minorities in Afghanistan. "We have received several reports showing that children from the Ismaili community are being forced to attend Sunni-run religious schools. If they refuse to do so, or do not attend classes regularly, their families have to pay heavy fines," he said. Ahmadi complained that the international community had responded only hesitantly to the human rights violations in his country. He called for targeted sanctions against Taliban officials, saying they "must be held accountable." Nowruz holiday declared 'un-Islamic' Historically, the country was a significant center of religious diversity, but there are very few members of non-Muslim communities left in Afghanistan today. The last members of the Jewish community left the country in September 2021. Those Christians who still live there tend to practice their faith in secret. And the Hazaras, another ethnic minority in Afghanistan who are predominantly Shiite, continue to be persecuted. The Taliban only accept one interpretation of religion and have banned certain rituals and festivals, including Nowruz, which marks the beginning of spring and a new year. They declared the holiday "un-Islamic" and said that nobody in Afghanistan should observe the celebration. Women's rights in decline The situation of all women is also getting worse, which means that half of society is subject to systematic oppression. According to the UNAMA report, girls continue to be "barred from participating in education beyond grade six" and there has been "no announcement made by the de facto authorities regarding the reopening of high schools and universities to girls and women." In the western city of Herat, the Taliban has confiscated several rickshaws and warned drivers not to transport women who were unaccompanied by a "mahram," a close male relative. Afghans deported from Iran Despite this disastrous situation, Afghans who fled to neighboring countries are being expelled en masse. According to the United Nations, around 110,000 people, including women and children, were forced to return in April. Large numbers of people are also being deported from Iran. "We live in fear of being deported to Afghanistan every day," Afghan journalist Marzia Rahimi told DW. "What am I supposed to do with my children there?" Rahimi said that only misery and terror awaited her in Afghanistan if she returned, explaining that she had left because she was unable to continue working as a journalist under Taliban rule and would not have been able to provide her daughter with an education. Most independent media outlets have been banned or placed under the control of the state. Journalists who criticize the regime risk being arrested and tortured. Under the Taliban, the country has also been plunged into an even more catastrophic socioeconomic crisis. Some 64% of the population of 41.5 million lives in poverty, according to the UN, with 50% dependent on humanitarian aid for survival and 14% suffering from acute hunger.
DW
18-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
Rights under constant attack in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan – DW – 05/18/2025
A UN report has found that the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, as well as all women, are under constant attack by the Taliban authorities. Amid many other global crises, the human rights situation in Afghanistan has been overshadowed in the international media. Millions of people continue to suffer from systemic rights violations under the Taliban-run government, a UN report has found. Tasked with assisting the people of Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) monitors the human rights situation in the country, issuing regular reports. In its latest update on the human rights situation in Afghanistan , UNAMA not only documented cases of gender-based violence and public floggings, but also the growing persecution of the Ismaili community. Ismailism is a branch of Shia Islam, while Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Afghanistan. Most members of the Ismaili community live in the country's northern provinces, such as Badakhshan or Baghlan. In the former, there have been at least 50 cases of members of the Ismaili community being forced to convert to the Sunni faith. Those who refused to do so were subjected to physical assaults, coercion and death threats. "They are only accepted as Muslims if they profess the Sunni faith by force," Yaqub Yasna, a professor and member of the Afghan Ismaili community, told DW. Yasna himself was accused of blasphemy after the Taliban takeover of 2021 because he advocated enlightenment and tolerance in society. He was forced to step down from his position at his university and went into exile for fear of reprisals. 'Breeding ground for violence' Yasna said that even before the Taliban's return to power, tolerance toward the Ismaili minority in Afghanistan was limited but that the political system had at least protected their civil rights. He said that under the Taliban, tolerance had continued to decline steadily. "When their rights are violated today, they don't know who they can turn to. Their children are forced to profess the Sunni faith," he explained. "Under Taliban rule, only one faith is considered legitimate. Anything that deviates from their interpretation of Islam is rejected and thus creates a breeding ground for violence against religious minorities." Life for girls and women is becoming increasingly difficult in Afghanistan Image: OMER ABRAR/AFP Afghan human rights activist Abdullah Ahmadi confirmed there was increasing pressure on one of the last remaining religious minorities in Afghanistan. "We have received several reports showing that children from the Ismaili community are being forced to attend Sunni-run religious schools. If they refuse to do so, or do not attend classes regularly, their families have to pay heavy fines," he said. Ahmadi complained that the international community had responded only hesitantly to the human rights violations in his country. He called for targeted sanctions against Taliban officials, saying they "must be held accountable." Nowruz holiday declared 'un-Islamic' Historically, the country was a significant center of religious diversity, but there are very few members of non-Muslim communities left in Afghanistan today. The last members of the Jewish community left the country in September 2021. Those Christians who still live there tend to practice their faith in secret. And the Hazaras, another ethnic minority in Afghanistan who are predominantly Shiite, continue to be persecuted. The Taliban only accept one interpretation of religion and have banned certain rituals and festivals, including Nowruz, which marks the beginning of spring and a new year. They declared the holiday "un-Islamic" and said that nobody in Afghanistan should observe the celebration. Afghan girls are not allowed to attend secondary school Image: Ahmad Sahel Arman/AFP/Getty Images Women's rights in decline The situation of all women is also getting worse, which means that half of society is subject to systematic oppression. According to the UNAMA report, girls continue to be "barred from participating in education beyond grade six" and there has been "no announcement made by the de facto authorities regarding the reopening of high schools and universities to girls and women." In the western city of Herat, the Taliban has confiscated several rickshaws and warned drivers not to transport women who were unaccompanied by a "mahram," a close male relative. Hopes for safety in Germany are fading for Afghan refugees To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Afghans deported from Pakistan, Iran Despite this disastrous situation, Afghans who fled to neighboring countries are being expelled en masse. According to the United Nations, around 110,000 people, including women and children, were forced to return from Pakistan in April. Large numbers of people are also being deported from Iran. "We live in fear of being deported to Afghanistan every day," Afghan journalist Marzia Rahimi told DW. "What am I supposed to do with my children there?" Rahimi said that only misery and terror awaited her in Afghanistan if she returned, explaining that she had left because she was unable to continue working as a journalist under Taliban rule and would not have been able to provide her daughter with an education. Most independent media outlets have been banned or placed under the control of the state. Journalists who criticize the regime risk being arrested and tortured. Under the Taliban, the country has also been plunged into an even more catastrophic socioeconomic crisis. Some 64% of the population of 41.5 million lives in poverty, according to the UN, with 50% dependent on humanitarian aid for survival and 14% suffering from acute hunger. This article was originally written in German.
DW
18-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
Afghanistan's human rights continue to decline under Taliban – DW – 05/18/2025
A new UN report has found that the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, as well as all women, are under constant attack by the Taliban authorities. Amid many other global crises, the human rights situation in Afghanistan has been overshadowed in the international media. Yet millions of people continue to suffer from systemic rights violations under the Taliban-run government, as the latest UN report shows. Tasked with assisting the people of Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) monitors the human rights situation in the country, issuing regular reports. In its latest update on the human rights situation in Afghanistan , UNAMA not only documented cases of gender-based violence and public floggings, but also the growing persecution of the Ismaili community. Ismailism is a branch of Shia Islam, while Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Afghanistan. Most members of the Ismaili community live in the country's northern provinces, such as Badakhshan or Baghlan. In the former, there have been at least 50 cases of members of the Ismaili community being forced to convert to the Sunni faith. Those who refused to do so were subjected to physical assaults, coercion and death threats. "They are only accepted as Muslims if they profess the Sunni faith by force," Yaqub Yasna, a professor and member of the Afghan Ismaili community, told DW. Yasna himself was accused of blasphemy after the Taliban takeover of 2021 because he advocated enlightenment and tolerance in society. He was forced to step down from his position at his university and went into exile for fear of reprisals. 'Breeding ground for violence' Yasna said that even before the Taliban's return to power, tolerance toward the Ismaili minority in Afghanistan was limited but that the political system had at least protected their civil rights. He said that under the Taliban, tolerance had continued to decline steadily. "When their rights are violated today, they don't know who they can turn to. Their children are forced to profess the Sunni faith," he explained. "Under Taliban rule, only one faith is considered legitimate. Anything that deviates from their interpretation of Islam is rejected and thus creates a breeding ground for violence against religious minorities." Life for girls and women is becoming increasingly difficult in Afghanistan Image: OMER ABRAR/AFP Afghan human rights activist Abdullah Ahmadi confirmed there was increasing pressure on one of the last remaining religious minorities in Afghanistan. "We have received several reports showing that children from the Ismaili community are being forced to attend Sunni-run religious schools. If they refuse to do so, or do not attend classes regularly, their families have to pay heavy fines," he said. Ahmadi complained that the international community had responded only hesitantly to the human rights violations in his country. He called for targeted sanctions against Taliban officials, saying they "must be held accountable." Nowruz holiday declared 'un-Islamic' Historically, the country was a significant center of religious diversity, but there are very few members of non-Muslim communities left in Afghanistan today. The last members of the Jewish community left the country in September 2021. Those Christians who still live there tend to practice their faith in secret. And the Hazaras, another ethnic minority in Afghanistan who are predominantly Shiite, continue to be persecuted. The Taliban only accept one interpretation of religion and have banned certain rituals and festivals, including Nowruz, which marks the beginning of spring and a new year. They declared the holiday "un-Islamic" and said that nobody in Afghanistan should observe the celebration. Afghan girls are not allowed to attend secondary school Image: Ahmad Sahel Arman/AFP/Getty Images Women's rights in decline The situation of all women is also getting worse, which means that half of society is subject to systematic oppression. According to the UNAMA report, girls continue to be "barred from participating in education beyond grade six" and there has been "no announcement made by the de facto authorities regarding the reopening of high schools and universities to girls and women." In the western city of Herat, the Taliban has confiscated several rickshaws and warned drivers not to transport women who were unaccompanied by a "mahram," a close male relative. Hopes for safety in Germany are fading for Afghan refugees To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Afghans deported from Pakistan, Iran Despite this disastrous situation, Afghans who fled to neighboring countries are being expelled en masse. According to the United Nations, around 110,000 people, including women and children, were forced to return from Pakistan in April. Large numbers of people are also being deported from Iran. "We live in fear of being deported to Afghanistan every day," Afghan journalist Marzia Rahimi told DW. "What am I supposed to do with my children there?" Rahimi said that only misery and terror awaited her in Afghanistan if she returned, explaining that she had left because she was unable to continue working as a journalist under Taliban rule and would not have been able to provide her daughter with an education. Most independent media outlets have been banned or placed under the control of the state. Journalists who criticize the regime risk being arrested and tortured. Under the Taliban, the country has also been plunged into an even more catastrophic socioeconomic crisis. Some 64% of the population of 41.5 million lives in poverty, according to the UN, with 50% dependent on humanitarian aid for survival and 14% suffering from acute hunger. This article was originally written in German.
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Gender Apartheid And Mental Health Crisis In Afghanistan
On April 30, 2025, Rukhshana Media, an Afghan women's media organization, reported on the tragic death of a young Afghan woman. The woman died after setting herself on fire in Taywara district, Ghor province, in an alleged attempt to escape a forced marriage. The Taliban de facto authorities have not commented on the case. Human rights organizations working on the situation in Afghanistan have been warning about the growing issue of suicide among women in Afghanistan, which they link to the omnipresent restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan that effectively erase them from public life. The return of the Taliban in August 2021 was followed by women and girls being stripped of their rights one by one. The last three years have seen the Taliban placing restrictions on all aspects of women's lives in Afghanistan. From education to employment. From movement to participation in everyday activities. When the international community thought that it could not get any worse for women in Afghanistan, the Taliban kept coming up with new ways to impose more restrictions on women. On May 1, 2025, the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that the Taliban had followed through on their decrees aimed at erasing women from public life in the country and restricting their freedom of movement. UNAMA continues to receive reports that Afghan women are being denied the opportunity to join the workforce, are unable to access services without a male relative, while girls are still deprived of their right to education. These restrictions have a profound effect on the health and well-being of women and girls across Afghanistan. In 2022, addressing the UN Human Rights Council, Fawzia Koofi, former deputy speaker of the Afghan Parliament, said that lack of opportunity and ailing mental health, was taking a terrible toll on women and girls: 'Every day there is at least one or two women who commit suicide for the lack of opportunity, for the mental health, for the pressure they receive.' A 2024 report from UN Women suggested that 68% of those interviewed knew at least one woman or girl who had suffered from anxiety or depression, and 8% of respondents knew at least one woman or girl who had attempted suicide. The report relied on interviews from 2023. As the Taliban's grip over women and girls has tightened over the subsequent years, their experiences have only deteriorated. Mursalina Amin, founder of Girls Toward Leadership, warned that 'The situation is so severe that even talking about it makes them cry. They are trapped—no education, no movement, no self-expression. All those dreams they built in their minds, they are now nothing. They don't even have the language to describe what they're going through. Every Afghan girl I've spoken to has mental health issues, but they can't speak about it.' As the rights of women and girls have been removed, and international monitors have little if any access to the country, reporting on the situation is highly challenging. International journalists are being banned from entering Afghanistan, and Afghan media outlets are closed down or subjected to severe reporting restrictions and censorship. Reporters Without Borders reported on the litany of restrictions, including banning political debates and any content critical of the Taliban, covering demonstrations, broadcasting music, and publishing any images of living beings. The Taliban also prohibited women from working as journalists and their presence in the information space. All these restrictions ultimately mean that the information about the true nature and scale of the dire situation of women and girls in the country will never see the light of day. Women and girls in Afghanistan struggle to seek and access the assistance they need - whether in the country or abroad. The mental health crisis unleashed by the system of gender apartheid imposed on them will not cease in silence. In silence, the mental health crisis will only deteriorate and claim more lives. On top of this, women who managed to escape to Pakistan, in the pursuit of safety, now face deportations back to Afghanistan. In April 2025, Pakistan deported tens of thousands of Afghans and accelerated its drive to expel undocumented Afghans and those on temporary permits. Reportedly, between 700 and 800 families have been deported daily. Up to two million people are expected to be deported over the coming months. Options to seek refuge in other countries are limited. Women and girls in Afghanistan require the international community to stand up for their rights until they are guaranteed their human rights in the country. Without the human rights of women and girls becoming a reality in Afghanistan, the international community cannot accept doing business with the Taliban as usual.
Scoop
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Afghanistan: Taliban Restrictions On Women's Rights Intensify
1 May 2025 The mission continued to receive reports that Afghan women are being denied the opportunity to join the workforce, are unable to access services without a male relative while girls are still deprived of their right to education. Since the Taliban took over the country from the democratically-elected Government in August 2021, women and girls have been systemically excluded from equal participation in society, the report confirms. UNAMA, whose mandate includes monitoring human rights, also reported public floggings, shrinking civic space, and brutal attacks on former government officials. Beauty salons shuttered Officials have reportedly shut down beauty salons run by women in their homes and women's radio stations in various provinces, UNAMA said. In the province of Kandahar, de facto inspectors asked shopkeepers in a market to report women unaccompanied by a guardian (mahram) and deny them entry into their shops. At one hospital, authorities ordered staff not to provide care to unaccompanied female patients. Forced conversions Taliban authorities have also increased enforcement of repressive restrictions on media outlets, ramped up corporal punishment, and the clampdown on religious freedom and re-education. Between 17 January and 3 February, in Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan, at least 50 Ismaili men were taken from their homes at night and forced to convert to Sunni Islam under the threat of violence, the report details. More than 180 people, including women and girls, have been flogged for the offences of adultery and practicing homosexuality during the reporting period, in public venues attended by Taliban officials. Taliban claim support for women's rights Despite documented evidence from the report that de facto authorities are continuing to violate international norms and rights protections, Taliban officials disagree. 'Ensuring the dignity, honor, and Sharia-based entitlements of women remains a paramount priority for the Islamic Emirate,' Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a social media post on March 8, International Women's Day. 'All fundamental rights afforded to Afghan women have been safeguarded in strict accordance with Islamic Sharia law, as well as the cultural and traditional frameworks of Afghan society,' he added. International legal action UNAMA has called for action to restore women's and girls' rights at the international level. In January, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Taliban Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqan over persecution on gender grounds, a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute. The Taliban rejected the ruling, citing national sovereignty and religious traditions.
